Control desk having channelshaped frame members



July 19,1949. c. B. MYHRE ETAL CONTROL DESK HAVING CHANNELSHAPED.FRAMEMEMBERS Filed Oct. 25; 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS Conrad B.MybreZz' Z u lfgle J. Drayar WlTN ESSESZ ATTOR y 1949- c. B. MYHRE ETAL76,

I CONTROL DESK HAVING CHANNEL-SHAPED FRAME MEMBERS Filed Oct. 25, 1944 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Fi i WITNESSES: INVENTORS 507M Conrad B. Myhre &

I wz'nqle J Dragaz:

, ATTOR Patented July 19, 1949 CONTROL DESK HAVING CHANNEL- SHAPED FRAMEMEMBERS Conrad B. Myhre, Wilkinsburg, and Zwingle J.

Dragar, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignors to Westinghouse Electric Corporation,East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application October25, 1944, Serial No. 560,334

4 Claims.

Our invention relates, generally, to switchboards and, moreparticularly, to switchboards of the control desk or benchboard type.

An object of our invention, generally stated, is to provide a controldesk which shall be simple and efiicient in operation and which may beeconomically manufactured and installed.

A more specific object of our invention is to simplify and improve themechanical structure of a control desk.

Another object of our invention is to provide a control desk in whichthe frame is integral with the panels and wiring troughs.

Other objects of our invention will be explained fully hereinafter orwill be apparent to those skilled in the art.

In accordance with one embodiment of our invention, channel-shapedmembers which constitute the frame and part of the panels of a controldesk are utilized as wiring troughs, thereby eliminating the sidesheets, additional cross members and uprights used in previous designs.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of our invention,reference may be had to the following detailed description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view, in transverse section, of a control desk comprisingseveral sections and embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 is a view, in front elevation, of the center and adjacentsections of the desk shown in Fig, 1, portions of the adjacent sectionsbeing broken away;

Fig. 3 is a view, in plan, of one section and part of an adjacentsection of the desk, portions of the cover members being broken away toshow the manner of tying the desk sections together;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view, in section, taken along the line IVIV ofFig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view, in section, taken along the line VV ofFig.1, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view, in perspective, of a portion of the deskstructure.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, thecontrol desk shown therein includes a center section I0 with similarmembers It and I7, which may be tied together at the top by anglemembers I8 and I9 and at the bottom by an angle member 2|.

The sloping portion I4 comprises two channel members 22 and 23. One endof the channel member 22 is adjustably secured to the uprightchannelmember I6 by brackets 24 and 25. One end of the other channel member 23may be se cured to the upright channel member I! in a similar manner.

The apron portion I5 comprises a panel 26 having inturned edges 21 whichform channel portions at the sides of the panel. The inturned edges 2'!are adjustably secured to the other ends of the sloping channels 22 and23 by brackets 28 and 29.

When assembling control desks of previous designs it has always beendifificult to obtain good alignment between adjacent sections or unitsof a complete desk. This has been due to manufacturing errors in thewelded structural frame assembly, welded-on brackets, formed panels etc.In the present design this difficulty is precluded by bolting the threebasic parts of each section together by bolts which are inserted inslotted openings which afford the necessary range of adjustment topermit proper alignment of the various parts of the desk.

Thus, as shown, the bracket members 24, 25, 2S and 29 are provided withslotted openings 3|. Similar openings may be provided in the channelmembers for the bolts which secure the members together, therebypermitting adjustment in either a vertical or a horizontal direction.The bolting together of the basic parts of the desk provides amplerigidity and strength in all directions.

In this manner a control desk of sumcient strength and rigidity isprovided without requiring the side sheets previously utilized in desksof a similar type. The present structure also eliminates additionalcross members and vertical uprights utilized in previous structures.Therefore, the present structure effects a saving of approximately 30per cent in steel, as compared with the material required fordeskspreviously constructed.

In order to simplify the present structure still further, the channelmembers IE, IT, 22 and 23 and the channel portions formed by theinturned edges 21 of the panel 26 are provided with detachable coverplates, thereby providing wiring troughs within the channel members.Thus, relatively wide, fiat cover plates 32 are provided for portions ofthe upright channel members l6 and l1 and the sloping channel members 22and 23.

These cover plates may be detachably supported by U-shaped brackets 33.

As shown, angle-shaped cover plates 34 may also be provided for thechannel members I6 and apparatus, usually mounted on a control desk ofthe present type, may be installed in the Wir ing troughs which areintegral with the frame and panel members, thereby making it 'u'nnecesSEXY t DI'OVide additibhal wiring trough's 271161 gutters for the wiresAs shown in Fig. Lterminal blocks 4] maybe, mounted at the front and therear of the control" desk when a pit is available underneath the control' desk. Thus, the wires which are brought:

into the desk from other points may be con nected to: these terminalblocks;

section of thedes'k for cross panel wiring. between sections; therebyeliminating wiring troughs be 1 tweeni'the different sections.

in accordance with the usual practice, a; rep cover member can mountedon the uppererids The cover of the upright channels IB and I1.

Similar tar minal blocks may be provided at the ends of each.

' upright-1 members, slottedbrackets 1 adjustably securing said memberstogether, a panel irmay be supported by the angle members I8,

and. i9 and. a; cross member 43; which rests on th angle members We andl9].

1&1 removable panel it may be mounted: at the rear of the upright panelsIS and H in the usual manner. instrument panel 45 may beer-1pported bybrackets secured to the uprightchannels i5- and We 7 As shown, a slopingpanel's! may: be mounted on the sloping channel members 22 and 23 Angle;members: dz? maybe provided at the endsof the panel *3? for additionalsupporte I Removable braces 49 may be provided at the bottom: orthe'desk to tie the apron partto the; u right part during shipment. Thesebraces are" removed when the desk: is installed in service.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 6 the sections oi a mul'ti-unit desh' may betied together by bolts 5i.- "These bolts be insertedthrough holes 52,see: Fig. 1, provided through the U-sliaped brackets which support thecover plates for wiring troughs; this manner, as secnone as required maytied together when. the

desk is installed, and additional sections may be] added at a laterdate, if desired.

thermore, the simplicity of construction and minimum number of partsreduce the manufac= tun ng and assembly time, thereby still furtherreducing the overali cost of the desk.

The" installation or the desk is simplified sih'cs'a i erent sectionsbereadil'y bolted to the di etherar'id aligned in the mannerliereinbefore; described. The resent structure has an addis tionai.ieature of flexibility that desksof the high or low type utilize thesame parts througfiaout, except for the upright members at the rear ofthe desk, the length of which may be readily increased, if desired;

Since numerous changes may be made in the above-described construction,and different, embodiments of the invention may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that allmatter contained in the ioregoin-g description or shown in theaccompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

We claim as our invention: e

1. A control desk comprising, a pair of spaced upright channel members,horizontally disposed members for'tyi'rig' the upright members together,side channel members each having one end secured to one of the uprightmembers, a panel member having inturned edges forming therewith integralchannel portions secured to the other ends of the side channel members,detachable. cover plates for said channel members and the,

channel" portions of said panel member; and

brackets for sup orting said cover plates-substan l tially flush withthe edges of the channels, thereg by providingwi ring troughs withinsaid members. 7 2. A control desk section comprising, ap'a-i'r of spacedupright'channel members, horih'ontally disposed members for tying theupright members together; side channel-,member's each having one endadjustably secured to oneof the member having inturned edges forming'tifiere' with integral channel portions adjustably secured to the otherends of the side channel members,

detachable cover plates for said chanhelmeirr-' hers to provide wiringtroughs within. said men hers, and'bracirets for, supportihg'saidcoverplates substantially alignment with the edges of the channels; certainor said bracketslhavine openings therein for utilization inattachingsaid desk section to: an adjacent desk section. 7

31A. control jzlefsk section comprising a pair 7 fl paced uprightchannel members hpriz qntally? disposed members" for tying. the uprightmembers together, a pair of side channel-members, bracket means foradjustably attaching'one end; of each sidechannel member to one of theupright members, a panel memben-havi-ngphan:

nel-shaped portions integrally .formed atits edges, bracket meansforadjustably attaching the edges'of' the panel member to the otheryendsof the side channel members, detachable cover plates'ior said; channelmembers to provide willing troughs withinsaidnlemb'ers, and brackets 4.A control desk comprisingpapair upright channel. members; horizontallydisposed members for tying the'liiprighliniernbers tgetfiii, a airor:side" channel members, mean's rtiradjustably attaching on end cf eachside'clianiiel member to: one of the upright members; 'a el' mernherhayingchain" el shaped portions" inte i grail fii'rhied at edges, meansicr admins attaching the edges of the panel member t9 the other ends ofthe side cha-n membersgdet'aclis able; cover plates for", said c n.l'members and the clianneifpcrtions cf'th e" paneljnember, and;

brackets fcrl suppo ting said cover-plates subs a Y flush with theedges" of the" channels desk: se ticnto an? e g thereby providing wiringtroughs integral with file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS said members.

CONRAD MYHRE- 22224 Pau i??? June l f lasz ZWINGLE DRAGAR- 1,047,843Schaffert Dec. 17, 1912 REFERENCES CITED 1,345,366 pp J y 1920 2,191,637Wier Feb. 27, 1940 The following references are of record In t e 234,96: H d Apr 13, 1944

